Regina Construction III

[Dan0myte]

If I were investing in something like this and I looked at two business plans and one said "Cat Cafe in Cathedral district" and the other said "Cat Cafe in a low traffic zone on East Vic" I know which one I would have put my money behind.

I don't like seeing businesses go under but if your first three priorities aren't location, location, and location then you're going to constantly struggle.

[jigglysquishy]

The cat cafe on Albert and 14th always has folks in it. Surprise surprise, Vic East isn't a good location for a niche restaurant.

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Honestly Vegaboo failed for one reason: too much rent. It's a relatively (for their business model) large space with east-end rent.

Excalipurr, on the other hand, rented in a dive and pays little rent.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Pretty cool! Thoughts on if it would have happened?

This would be an interesting design to expand the current building and keep it all the Royal Sask Museum.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Good Earth has set up a patio. Wish it was permanent like Famoso's. Also hope Jugo Juice will create a patio on the other side too.



This made me wish (as I sat for pizza at Famoso, that the main floors of the Canada Life and TD were opened to retail and restaurant for patios on that side of the street. I hate how TD especially is just a blank, non active chunk of the city block. Canada life has the awning visuals that beg for some sort of active space below. ALSO some trees on that side.




Also, looking at the rest of Scarth, wish Chopped Leaf and some other buildings had patios and or just removed some of the non active businesses to spur some more restaurant/bar options to really activate Scarth Street.



Have no clue what Treehouse is, but such a waste of a spot.




Wish Beer Brothers Patio was installed permanently with some planters.



I would love Regina Downtown BID to get on landscaping and fixing all the burnt out or not connected christmas white lights on Scarth. It looks really nice at nightime and should be on every night. Also makes it look a little more safe and pretty too.

PS, how is there not a fountain in the centre spot of Scarth!! HOW!?!?!?!

[Stormer]

One Brick: Good Earth has had a patio for a few years. Bay Leaves, Chopped Leaf, Pita Queen and Gilmour's all have patios. They are just not set up yet. Fat Badgers is mostly set up.

Treehouse is a head shop. Canada Life along Scarth is an active use. It is a very busy cafeteria, unfortunately it is not open in the evenings/weekends.

The mall will look much nicer once all the flowers are planted.

[Nathan]

As for permanent patios... They don't make much sense for Scarth. No one is going to sit out there between November and April. The seasonal ones as noted above work pretty well when they are all up and running.

[BrannyMuffin]

I always thought FW Hill Mall would be a good spot for the Davin fountain.

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by Nathan

As for permanent patios... They don't make much sense for Scarth. No one is going to sit out there between November and April. The seasonal ones as noted above work pretty well when they are all up and running.

I just mean for an architectural sense filling in some of the mall with built in patios all year long. A Christmas market during the winter with Christmas trees moved into the planters etc. like how Toronto has for their distillery market. Yes, I know winter has no major outdoor pedestrian activity, by that doesn’t mean the mall couldn’t benefit from some more fill in and decoration.

I wish they would paint the actual concrete planter portions that the dark brown wood seating/trees are on.

I also know Good Earth has had a patio before, just updating on the set up timeline of the mall. Glad to hear Chopped has a patio tho.

YES to the Davin fountain

[Nathan]

Originally Posted by BrannyMuffin

I always thought FW Hill Mall would be a good spot for the Davin fountain.

I was wishfully thinking when they removed the cement platform in the middle that they were preparing things for it. Oh well...

[Scruff Bucket]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

I just mean for an architectural sense filling in some of the mall with built in patios all year long. A Christmas market during the winter with Christmas trees moved into the planters etc.
like how Toronto has for their distillery market. Yes, I know winter has no major outdoor pedestrian activity, by that doesn’t mean the mall couldn’t benefit from some more fill in and decoration.

The streets of the Toronto Christmas Market were quite well dressed this past Christmas where we took the kids when we visited. Excluding factors like Toronto's massive population base and tourism market,
their overall warmer outdoor temperatures can help to ensure good attendance, but is not an absolute necessity. We went on a day when the temperature was -20C, and there were plenty of warming stations
with large, propane- (natural gas- ??) fuelled heaters along the streets, esp. where the outdoor Santa station was located for (free, diy -- or with help from Santa's accompanying elf!) Christmas pictures,
in addition to a number of places and shops to duck into to warm up, and even purchase food to feed the kids! Being outdoors presents other bonuses, like handouts of fine chocolate samples, and numerous
picturesque picture-taking opportunities!

Scarth Street Mall may be do-able as a Christmas theme, as Cornwall Centre is not too far of a walk to serve as the major warm-up and vehicle parking areas, but Santa would probably remain inside the mall.
If the street mall was decorated similarly all-year round, then the days and evenings of the warmer seasons would definitely be more appealing.

Toronto Christmas Market, Dec. 21, 2017, in Distillery District, about 4pm (Please excuse my hasty, camera-phone photography! My photos!)

[Stormer]

I don't have any pics but the FW Hill mall is pretty dressed up over the Holidays including a giant Xmas tree, stringer lights, some buildings that are done top to bottom in lights, etc. It is a testament to our horrible Xmas weather that people do not even get out to see this.

Edit:

found one

[pappcam]

Why are people comparing Regina to a city 20 times bigger with better weather?

Even a fountain on Scarth Street would be frozen for 6 months.

[Stormer]

Here is an interesting shot of the Dot's building on the F.W. Hill Mall fitted out with its Xmas trappings.


https://twitter.com/ReginaDowntown/media?lang=en

[one_brick_at_a_time]

Originally Posted by pappcam

Why are people comparing Regina to a city 20 times bigger with better weather?

Even a fountain on Scarth Street would be frozen for 6 months.

Why can’t you compare? That’s how things are accomplished. That kind of thinking is what has screwed over Regina for so many years. I always compare Regina to Toronto because I can see what can be done, what is realistic and what isn’t and what I can hope for and maybe help make happen.

The fountain freezing comparison makes me think of the same thought towards the open air stadium, and hey, it still was built.

[BrutallyDishonest2]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

The fountain freezing comparison makes me think of the same thought towards the open air stadium, and hey, it still was built.

And it was a mistake!

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by one_brick_at_a_time

Why can’t you compare? That’s how things are accomplished. That kind of thinking is what has screwed over Regina for so many years. I always compare Regina to Toronto because I can see what can be done, what is realistic and what isn’t and what I can hope for and maybe help make happen.

The fountain freezing comparison makes me think of the same thought towards the open air stadium, and hey, it still was built.

Pretty sure location is what has screwed Regina for so many years. Regina is my birth place and hometown and I like it here but I'm also realistic about it. I lived in Vancouver in the 90's so I'm familiar with actual big city life. We'll never be like Vancouver or Toronto. Just too many things working against us with location being the biggest one.

[StealthGirl]

A couple of years ago, Edmonton declared themselves to be a winter city and has enacted a ton of policy in line with that designation. I think Regina needs to take a serious look at it and see what we can do here. Some of it is obvious and some not so obvious, but it's good. Too much is written off bc it's going to be cold for 6 months.

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/initiatives_innovation/wintercity-strategy.aspx

[prairieguy]

Originally Posted by StealthGirl

A couple of years ago, Edmonton declared themselves to be a winter city and has enacted a ton of policy in line with that designation. I think Regina needs to take a serious look at it and see what we can do here. Some of it is obvious and some not so obvious, but it's good. Too much is written off bc it's going to be cold for 6 months.

https://www.edmonton.ca/city_government/initiatives_innovation/wintercity-strategy.aspx

I think Edmonton provides a great blueprint for strategies to work on for a winter city! Saskatoon's mayor is also trying to move that agenda forward with initiatives in Saskatoon to embrace winter with more options to be active outdoors. When Saskatoon had the Canada 150 celebration on New years outside, it had a huge response from community...it was a great evening of entertainment, horse drawn sleighrides, skating, bonfires, sculptures, etc. It can be done!!!

[HomerSPC]

Originally Posted by BrutallyDishonest2

And it was a mistake!

Give it up. The thing's built now.